Biosorption effects of copper ions on Candida utilis under negative pressure cavitation.

Under the optimal condition of copper ions adsorption on yeast,we found some different effects among static adsorption, shaking adsorption and negative pressure cavitation adsorption, and the methods of yeast with different pretreatments also affect adsorption of copper ions. At the same time, the change of intercellular pH before and after adsorption of copper with BCECF was studied. The copper distribution was located by using PhenGreen (dipotassium salt and diacetate), and the surface of yeast was observed by an atomic force microscope. The results showed that negative pressure cavitation can improve bioadsorption capacity of copper ions on yeast. However, the yeasts' pretreatment has a higher effect on bioadsorption. It indicates that heavy metal bioadsorption on yeast has much relation with its cellular molecule basis. With the adsorping, the intercellular pH of yeast increased gradually and changed from acidity to alkalescence. These results may suggest that negative pressure cavitation can compel heavy metals to transfer from the cell surface into inside cell and make the surface of yeast coarse.